Pompeo likens Duterte to Trump
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Fri, 01 Mar 2019 09:42:23 +0000
PRESIDENT Duterte and U Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shake hands during a courtesy call at the Kalayaan Lounge, Villamor Airbase in Pasay City. (Pool photo)
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said President Duterte is just like President Donald Trump because of the amount of controversies both leaders are currently facing.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the statement the morning after Pompeo made a courtesy call on Duterte at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City Thursday.
In his press briefing yesterday, Panelo said that Pompeo, like Trump, was “very fond” of Duterte. He said the US official was making jokes with Duterte during their almost an hour meeting.
“I remember when the President was talking about what he is doing for this country, pati yung mga controversial na galaw niya, pati yung cursing niya, the Secretary of State said, ‘You’re just like our President!’ Eh, ‘di tawanan kami,” he said. “Siguro the style of the President – prangka, walang sinisino, kahit sino pwedeng labanan. Diba ganoon si Mr. Trump? Against all flags,” he added.
Duterte and Trump are known to have a good relationship. This was evident during Trump’s visit to the Philippines in 2017 for the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Summits.
Duterte belted out a song because of Trump’s request. Former peace process adviser Jesus Dureza
said that Trump asked Duterte to sing when he heard the Chief Executive humming to the tune of “Ikaw” while it was sung during the ASEAN gala dinner.
Trump also teased his “good friend” Duterte about his singing during the bilateral meeting which took place the morning after. “The Filipino performers were great. But the greatest performer was him,” Trump reportedly said, referring to Duterte. (Argyll Geducos)